Newsletter Articles From 2002

Are you liable for overtime pay?By Jeffrey A. MolletApril 2002Generally, a salaried employee has always been considered just that; an employee who for a set salary works as many hours (or as few hours in some cases) as necessary to accomplish the duties assigned to be completed.

Current topics—individual income taxBy Thomas F. HartzellJuly 2002The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was passed by Congress on May 26, 2001, and signed by President Bush shortly after the Memorial Day recess of Congress.

FDIC insurance coverage for estates and revocable trustsBy Mike DroneNovember 2002Just as grain elevators can fail, so can banks. If you represent the executor of an estate or the trustee of a revocable trust it is important to understand how FDIC insurance applies to estate or trust bank deposits.

Planning for higher education expensesBy Kenneth R. EathingtonSeptember 2002Paying higher education expenses can be a daunting task. Recent changes in the tax laws provide increased incentives for saving for higher education, as well as tax breaks to help offset some of the costs when you pay the expenses.

Recent developments in the law of agricultural biotechnologyBy Donald L. UchtmannNovember 2002This article highlights selected topics from "Legal Issues in Biotechnology: A Farmer's Perspective" presented by the author on April 29, 2002 as part of Law of the Prairie, a continuing legal education program of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Saline County, Kansas resolution placing builders on notice of agricultural useBy David HoffMay 2002Illinois and several other states have legislation designed "to protect farming operations from nuisance suits under certain circumstances," 740 ILCS 70/0.01 et seq., with the stated purpose of such legislation being "to conserve and protect and encourage the development and improvements of its agricultural land for the production of food and other agricultural products." 740 ILCS 70/1.

Securing the right to receive government payments under revised Article 9By Jeffrey A. MolletJanuary 2002Whether a security interest in government program payments is perfected has always been at the center of debate, generally in the bankruptcy or "farmer-in-distress" context, and the issue remains largely unresolved by the recent revisions to Article 9 of the Illinois Uniform Commercial Code that took effect on July 1, 2001.

Taxes for the general practitionerBy Thomas F. HartzellJanuary 2002Every member of our firm does income taxes and three members do Federal and State of Illinois estate tax returns.

A tribute to Professor Harold (Hank) W. HannahBy Donald L. Uchtmann and Margaret Rosso GrossmanApril 2002Harold "Hank" Winford Hannah, a respected lawyer, teacher and scholar, died November 20, 2001 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, just a few miles from his rural Texico home.